Vehicle door support

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for adjustably supporting a vehicle door at a convenient height whereby the door can be rotated through a generally horizontal axis passing through the door to a desired work position. The support apparatus comprises a pair of spaced-apart stands, one stand having mounting means in the form of an elongated connector pivotally secured thereto on a rotatable axle and adapted to be secured to one edge of the door by means of bolts threaded into bolt holes normally used for securement of the door hinges, and the other stand having a horizontal spindle secured thereto adapted to be received in the closable recess of the door locking mechanism on the opposite edge of the door for rotation of the door about the spindle. Each of the stands is adjustable as to height whereby the axis of the spindle and the axis of rotation of the axle secured to the elongated connector can be normally horizontally aligned.

This invention relates to work holders for adjustably supporting aworkpiece and, more particularly, relates to an apparatus for adjustablysupporting a vehicle door.

A vehicle door is often laid on support members such as wooden beams ormetal work benches for support when worked upon. The fabric and leatherinterior of the door can be subject to damage by rough and abrasivesupport surfaces or marked by exposure to grease and dirt. In addition,positioning of the door to facilitate repair usually is difficult andtime consuming.

Work holders for supporting a workpiece are known. U.S. Pat. No.4,183,511 discloses, for example, a supporting apparatus for adjustablyholding a vehicle door, said apparatus including suction membersengageable with the workpiece for support thereof. The suction membersmust engage a smooth surface, normally the exterior side of the door,and thus often obstruct the surface to be worked on.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for adjustably supporting a vehicle door at a convenientheight whereby the door can be rotated through a generally horizontalaxis passing through the door to a desired work position.

In its broad aspect, the support apparatus of the present inventioncomprises a pair of spaced-apart stands, one stand having mounting meansin the form of an elongated connector pivotally secured thereto on arotatable axle and adapted to be secured to one edge of the door bymeans of bolts threaded into bolt holes normally used for securement ofthe door hinges, and the other stand having a horizontal spindle securedthereto adapted to be received in the closable recess of the doorlocking mechanism on the opposite edge of the door for rotation of thedoor about the spindle. Each of the stands is adjustable as to heightwhereby the axis of the spindle and the axis of rotation of the axlesecured to the elongated connector can be normally horizontally aligned.

The stand containing the elongated connector mounted on an axle, saidaxle in effect functioning as a live or control spindle, has lockingmeans for securing the axle and elongated connector in a fixed angularposition whereby the door can be securely held in a desired workposition.

Other objects of the invention and the manner in which they can beattained will become apparent from the following detailed description ofthe drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention in its operative position showing a vehicle door by ghostlines;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, partly cut away, showing theupper portion of one support stand of the invention having an elongatedconnector adapted to be secured to one edge of a vehicle door; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a support stand ofthe present invention having a spindle for securement by a door lockingmechanism for rotation thereon.

With reference to FIG. 1, the support apparatus of the inventioncomprises a pair of stands 10,12 formed of tubular steel each having agenerally U-shaped base 14 and a pair of converging upwardly extendingside struts 16,18 terminating at an upright collar 20 secured thereto bya weld. Converging side struts 16,18 preferably are inclined inwardlyover base 14 whereby collar 20 is located over a central section of thebase. A reinforcing cross member 22 may be secured to side struts 16,18to provide additional rigidity thereto.

Each of support stands 10,12 has a bolt 24 threaded into reinforcingplate 26 and through the collar 20 for abutment against tubular members30,32 to permit vertically adjusting and locking members 30,32respectively therein for reasons which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Stand 10 has a transverse collar 34 secured to the upper end of uprightmember 30 adapted to receive in sliding engagement a cantilever axle orlive spindle 36, shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The free end of axle 36has a plate 38 rigidly secured thereto adapted to receive threaded bolt40 for securement of elongated connector 42, connector 42 preferably inthe shape of a channel having flanged sides 44,46 adapted to snuglyreceive the sides of plate 38 therebetween whereby elongated connector42 and axle 36 can rotate conjointly about the longitudinal axis of axle36 and the centre line of bolt 40.

Elongated connector 42 has an elongated central slot 48 to permitlongitudinal adjustment of connector 42 on plate 38. The opposite endsof connector 42 have elongated slots 50,52 adapted to receive bolts54,56 adapted to be threaded into hinge bolt holes 62,64 formed in oneside edge of the vehicle door 65. Sleeves 58,60 space connector 42 afixed distance from the edge 67 of door 65 to accommodate irregular doorshapes.

A locking device such as cam lever 64 is pivotally mounted onspaced-apart flanges 66 secured to collar 34, cam lever 64 having adownwardly extending projection inserted into a longitudinal slot formedin collar 34, not shown, whereby pivoting of cam lever 64 in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 2 frictionally engages lever 64 with axle 36to prevent rotation of axle 36 and elongated connector 42 securedthereto.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3, upright member 32 adjustablymounted in collar 20 by means of a threaded bolt, not visible, forvertical positioning has a transverse horizontal collar 70 securedthereto with a spindle 72 slidably inserted therein to form a cantileversupport. Spindle 72 can be adjusted axially within collar 70 and lockedat a desired position by means of bolt 74 threaded through reinforcingplate 76 and collar 70 for engagement with spindle 72. The opposite ends78,80 of spindle 72 have peripheral recesses 82,84 formed at differentdistances from the free ends of the spindle for locking engagement bypivotal detents forming part of the door locking mechanism 85 located inthe closable recess 71 formed in door edge 73, normally located withinthe central one-third of the side of the door.

In operation, elongated connector 46 is secured to the hinged side edgeof a vehicle door by insertion of bolts 54,56 through sleeve spacers58,60 into hinge bolt openings 62,64. Bolt 40 is positioned in a centralportion of elongated connector 42 such that it is generally locatedabout the same distance from the bottom edge 86 of the door 65 as thelocation of the door locking mechanism on the opposite edge. Axle 36 canthen be slid into collar 34 of stand 10 and spindle 72 of stand 12inserted into recess 71 and locked therein, collars 34 and 70 beinggenerally horizontally aligned with each other on their respectivestands whereby the axis depicted by numeral 90 in FIG. 1 is substantialcoaxial with axle 36 and spindle 72.

The vehicle door can be pivoted about axis 90 to a desired position andaxle 36 locked in a desired angular position by means of cam lever 64.

The present invention provides a number of important advantages. Vehicledoors can be readily supported at a desired position and adjusted aboutan axis of rotation to a desired work position. Damage or marking of thedoor can be minimized and the surfaces of the door to be worked upon arenormally unobstructed permitting facile replacement of metal,application of body filler, and priming and spray painting.

The stands, when not in use, can be compactly stacked for storage.

It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in theembodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein withoutdeparting from the scope and purview of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:
 1. An apparatus for supporting a vehicle door havingthreaded holes on one edge for receiving bolts and a closable recessformed by the door locking mechanism on the opposite edge, saidapparatus comprising, in combination:first and second spaced-apartstands, said first stand having an elongated connector adapted to besecured to one edge of the door by bolts threaded into the holes, axlemeans for securing said connector to said stand for pivoting about ahorizontal axis, and means for locking said securing means to preventpivoting of the connector; said second stand having a horizontal spindlesecured to said stand adapted to be received in the closable recess ofthe door for rotation of the door about the spindle; means for adjustingthe height of the elongated connector and the spindle for substantialcoaxial alignment of the connector axle means relative to the spindleabout on axis passing through the door whereby the vehicle door can bepivoted and locked at a desired position about said axis, said elongatedconnector having a longitudinal slot formed at each end for receivingthe bolts threaded into the door holes and a central longitudinal slotfor receiving connecting means for securement of the axle meanssubstantially perpendicular to the elongated connector.
 2. An apparatusas claimed in claim 1 in which the first stand has a horizontal collaradapted to receive the axle therein for rotational movement, and a camlever pivotally mounted on said collar adapted to pass through a slotformed in said collar for frictional engagement with the axle means toprevent rotation of the said axle means.
 3. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 2 in which said spindle has a recess formed in at least one endthereof adapted to be seated in the closable recess formed by the doorlocking mechanism whereby said spindle cannot be axially separated fromsaid recess when closed.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in whichsaid spindle has a peripheral recess formed at each end at a differentdistance from the end of the spindle to accommodate door lockingmechanisms of varying size.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 inwhich each of said stands has a generally U-shaped base and a pair ofconverging side struts extending upwardly from the base, and an uprightcollar secured to said side struts for receiving said means foradjusting the height of the elongated connector and the spindle.
 6. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which each of said stands has agenerally U-shaped base and a pair of converging side struts extendingupwardly from the base, said side struts inclined inwardly over the basewhereby the collar is located over a central section of the base.